Darwinian

American  

[dahr-win-ee-uhn] / dɑrˈwɪn i ən /

adjective

1. (sometimes lowercase) pertaining to Charles Darwin or his doctrines.

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noun

1. a follower of Charles Darwin; a person who accepts or advocates Darwinism.

Darwinian British  

/ dɑːˈwɪnɪən /

adjective

1. of or relating to Charles Darwin or his theory of evolution by natural selection

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noun

1. a person who accepts, supports, or uses this theory

Other Word Forms

• anti-Darwinian noun
• non-Darwinian adjective
• post-Darwinian adjective
• pre-Darwinian adjective
• pro-Darwinian adjective

Etymology

Origin of Darwinian

First recorded in 1855–60; Darwin + -ian

Example Sentences

"The world has become very Darwinian again," he warned.

From Barron's • Jan. 23, 2026

What I've noticed this week is there's a Darwinian selection about the people who have come to the conference in Manchester.

From BBC • Oct. 8, 2025

Omri Yoffe, CEO of Vi, a roughly 115-person AI company that focuses on healthcare, recently told employees they need to think of the current moment in almost Darwinian terms.

From The Wall Street Journal • Sep. 27, 2025

The show, imported to the U.S. by Burnett, took the voyeurism of “The Real World” and added an element of Darwinian competition that other shows, including “The Challenge,” immediately tried to replicate.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 19, 2025

It is a Darwinian struggle, in which only the most fit or adaptable survive.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson